Reclining chair frame



Dec. 22, 1964 R. B. GAYLOR RECLINING CHAIR FRAME Filed` Jan. 25, 1965 mmf- INVENTOR v ,faer 64,10? BY United States Patent O 3,162,481 RECLINENG CHAR FRAME Robert B, Gaylor, Fox Lake, Ill., assignor to utboard Marine Corporation, Waukegan, 1li., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 25, i963, Ser. No. 253,917 6 Claims. (Cl. 297-65) The invention relates generally to chairs. More particularly, the invention relates to reclining chairs including back rests and seat frames which are shiftable relative to each other between generally upright seat forming positions and one or more reclining positions. Still more specifically the invention relates to chairs including a back rest which is rockable between various positions about a fixed point on a base frame.

The invention provides for pivotally connecting the seat frame to the baci: rest and for slideably supporting the seat rest on ythe seat frame to accomodate rocking of the back rest about its fixed point. The invention also provides for means for selectively limiting rearward movement of the seat frame relative to the base frame so as to selectively establish the seat frame and the back rest in their various positions. More particularly in the preferred embodiment, the means for limiting rearward movement of the seat frame serves to establish the seat frame and back frame in a first or generally upright, seat forming disposition, in a second or generally co-planar horizontal, reclining disposition, and in a third or intermediate reclining disposition between said seat forming and horizontal dispositions. In addition, the means limiting rearward seat movement also serves, at least in the seat forming and intermediate dispositions, to assist in supporting the seat frame and any weight carried thereby.

Gther objects and advantages of the invention will become known by reference to the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a chair embodying various of the features of the invention;

FlGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the chair shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the chair shown in i IGURE l, showing, in full lines, the back rest and seat frame in their generally upright, seat forming disposition and showing, in dotted outline, the back rest and seat frame in their generally horizontal and coplanar, reclining disposition;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 3 showing the chair with its back rest and seat frame in their intermediate reclining disposition.

The chair I1, shown in FIGURE 1, includes a base frame 13, a back rest frame which is pivotally mounted on the base frame 13, and a seat frame 17 which is engaged with the base frame 13 for support thereof. More particularly, the base frame 13 can be formed in various configurations from various materials and, in the disclosed construction, includes a pair of laterally spaced, metallic structural members 19 which are preferably of tubular cross-section` Each or" the structunal members 19 includes a generally upright forward leg 21 having a rearwardly extending upper end 23. Each structural member 19 also includes a rear leg 25 which projects upwardly and forwardly in a generally inclined disposition and, at its upper end, is joined to a brace or support member 3,162,481 Patented Dec. 22, 1964 ice 27 which is welded or otherwise joined to a horizontal leg-connecting portion 29 of the structural member. The structural members 19 are connected to each other by a pair :of cross oars or transverse members 31 and 33, the forward cross bar 31 connecting the front leg ends 23 and the rearward cross bar 33 joining the rear legs 25.

The back rest frame 15 can also be constructed in various configurations from various materials and, in the disclosed construction, includes a back rest 35 provided by a U-shaped bow 37 of tubular cross section and a series of web members 39 extending .across the bow 37 between the spaced, parallel legs 41 thereof to provide support for a back rest cushion 43, shown in dotted outline in FIG- URE l. Also forming a part of the back rest frame 1S is a pair of brace members 45 which are fixed to the bow legs d1 and which are connected about pivots 47 to the rear legs 25 of the base frame 13. Accordingly, the back rest frame 15 is swingable about the pivots 47.

The seat frame 17 may be constructed in various configurations from various materials and, in the disclosed construction, comprises a metallic U-shaped bow 51 of tubular cross section and a. series of web members 53 interconneoting the spaced, parallel legs 55 of the bow 51 to provide support for a seat cushion S7, shown in dotted outline in FIGURE 1. The legs 55 of the bow S1 are horizontally spaced so as to engage the top surface of the rearwardly extending upper ends 23 of the base frame front legs 21. Adjacent yto their rearward ends, the legs 55 of the seat bow 51 are respectively connected about pivots 59 to the lower ends of the legs 41 of the back rest bow 37. Accordingly, when the back rest 35 is rocked about the pivots 47, the seat frame 17 is moved forwardly or rearwardly, with the forward portion of the legs 55 of the seat bow 51 riding on the top surface of the rearwardly extending ends 23 of the front legs 2l of the base frame 13.

Means are provided on the base frame 13 and .on the seat frame 17 for selectively limiting rearward movement of the seat frame 17 relative to the base frame 13, thereby to establish or locate the seat frame 1'7 in several angular dispositions relative to the back rest 35. Such dispositions are determined by rcleasably fixing the location of the pivots 59 relative to the fixed pivots 47. In the disclosed construction, means are provided for establishing a generally upright seat forming disposition, shown in full lines in FIGURE 3, a generally horizontal reclining position, shown in dotted outline in FIGURE 3, and an intermediate reclining disposition, shown in FIGURE 4. Other intermediate reclining positions can also be provided if desired.

The means for locating the back rest 35 and the seat frame 17 in their upright seat forming and intermediate dispositions comprises a duplicate arrangement on each side of the chair, each arrangement including a lug or stud 61 on the base frame 13 and co-operating means on the seat frame 17 defining one or more notches or slots adapted for receipt of the lug 61. More particularly, a pair of notches e3 and 65 are provided through co-opera tion of the base frame leg 55 and a bracket 67 projecting arcuately downwardly from adjacent the rearward end of the seat bow leg 55. Still more particularly, the notch 63 is defined between the lower edge of the seat frame leg 55 and an edge or surface 69 of the bracket 67, which surface 69 is generated by a constant radius extending from the pivot 59. The bracket 67 is located so that, when the seat frame 17 and back rest 35 are in their seat forming disposition, the lug 61 bears against'the surface 69 to limit rearward movement of the seat frame 17 and also against the bottom of the leg 55 of the seat frame 17 to assist in supporting the seat frame, and any load carried thereby. Of course, at its forward end, the seat frame 17 is also supportingly engaged by the rearward ends 23 of the front base frame legs 21.

The curvature of the surface 69 at ay constant radius extending from the pivot 59 permits the seat frame 17 to be pivoted counterclockwise (as seen in FIGURES 3 and 4) relative to the back rest 35 to disengage the lug 61 from the notch 63 and to thereby permit shifting of the seat 'frame 17 rearwardly either to its intermediate disposition or its horizontal disposition.

The notch 65 extends inwardly of the bracket 67 from the lower end thereof along a radius extending from the pivot 59. Thus, after the seat frame 17 is partially .shifted rearwardly, the seat frame 17 can be rocked clockwise as shown in FIGURES 3v and 4 to engage the lug 61 in the notch 65. The notch 65 is proportioned or dimensioned so as to permit clockwise movement of the seat-frame 17 until the front portion thereof engages the lends 23 of the base-frame front legs 21 when the lug 61 establish several intermediate reclosing dispositions, or

to establish a horizontal reclining disposition. In addition, the lugs 61 Ycan be located on the seat frame 17 and the notches can be provided on the base frame 13.

y Means located separate from the brackets 67 and lugs 61 are provided to limit the rearward movement of the seat frame 17 relative to the base frame 13 so as to locatev the pivots 59 relative to the pivots 47 whereby'to determine the angular relation of the back rest 35l to the seaty frame 17 in their horizontal disposition. While such means may take various forms, in the disclosed construction, a pair of catches or stops 7-1 are provided on the cross leg 7-3 of the seat bow 51 for engagement with the cross bar 31 of the base frame 13 so as to limit rearward movement of the seat frame 17 and thereby establish or locate theA seat frame 17 and the back rest 35 in their generally horizontal, co-planar reclining'disposition. n

There is thus provided a chair construction wherein the seat frame 17 may be selectively fixed against rearward movement relative to the base frame 13 to dispose the seat frameV 17 and the connected back rest frame 15 in any selected onejof several dispositions. Various of the features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is: Y

l. A chair including a base frame, a back rest, means mounting said back rest on said base frame for swinging movement of said back rest about a point on said base frame below said back rest, a seat frame movable relative to said base frame and engaged with said base frame for support of said seat frame, means pivotally connecting the rearward end of said seat trame and the lower end of said back rest, and means on said seat frame and on said base frame for selectively limiting movement of said seat frame, rearwardly of said base frame to selectively 55 f necting the rearward end of said seat frame and the lower pivot means connecting said brace to said base frame, whereby said back rest frame is mounted for swinging movement about said Vbase frame, a seat frame movable relative to said base frame and engaged with said kbase frame for support of said seat frame, secondpivot means connecting' the rearward end of said seat frame and the lower end of said back rest, and means on said seat frame and on said base frame for selectively limiting movement of said seat frame rearwardly of said base frame to selectively tix the location of said second pivot means relative to said rst pivot means in a rst position locating said back rest and said seat frame in a generally coplanar horizontal reclining disposition, in a second position lo- Y eating said seatframe and said back rest in seat forming disposition wherein said back rest and said seat frame are disposed at an angle of about degrees to each other, and a third position locating said back rest and said seat frame in a releasably xed angular disposition intermediate said reclining and said seat forming dispositions.

3. A chair including a base frame, a back rest, means mounting said back rest on said base frame for swinging movement of said back rest about a point on said base frame below said back rest, a seat frame movable relative to said base frame and engaged with said basefframei for support of said seat frame, means pivotally connecting the lrearward end of said seat frame 'and the lower end of said back rest, co-operating means on the front portion of said base frame and a forward portion of said seat frame for releasable engagement Vto limit rearward k,movement of said seat frame relative `to said base frame lfor establishing saidb'ack rest and said seat frame in a generally horizontal reclining disposition, and additional co-operating means on said base frame and on said seat frame adjacent to the rearward end thereof, including a lug on one of said base frame and said seat frame and means defining a pair of notches selectively engageable with said lug on the other of said seat frame and base frame, for releasable selective engagement therebetween to limit rearward movement of said seat frame relative to said base frame so asfto locate said seat frame and said back rest selectively in a generally upright seat forming disposition when said lug is engaged with one of said notches and in a disposition intermediate said horizontal and seat forming dispositions when said lug is engaged in the other of said notches.

4. A chair in accordance with claim 3 wherein said notches are dimensioned to permit disengagement of said lug from said notches in response to pivotal movement of Vsaid seat frame upwardly toward said back rest.

5. A chair including a base frame, a back rest, means mounting said back rest on said base frame for swinging movement of said back rest about a point on said base frame Vbelow said back rest, a seat frame movable relative to said base frame and engaged with said base frame for support of said seat frame, means pivotally conend of saidback rest,v lirst co-Operating means on the front portion of said base frame and a forward portion of said seatV frame for releasable engagement to limit rearward movement Vof said seat frame relative to said base frame for establishing said back rest and said seat frame in afgenerally. horizontal reclining ydisposition and additional vco-operating means on said base frame and on said seat frame adjacent to the rear-ward end thereof, including'a lug on one of said base frame and said seat frame and means delining a pair of notches selectively engageable with said lug on the other of said seat frame and Vbase frame, for selective engagement therebetween to limit vertical movement of said seat frame relative to'said base frame to support said seat frame and `any weight carriedthere'by and to limit rearward'movement of said seat frame relative to said base frame to locate said seat frame and said back rest selectively in a generally upright seat'forming disposition when said lug is engaged with one of said notches and in a disposition intermediate said horizontal and seat forming dispositions willen said iug is engaged wiih he oher of said notches.

6. A chair in accordance with claim 5 wherein said notches are dimensoned to permit disengagement of said lug from said notches in response to pivotal movement of said seat frame upwardly toward said back rest.

1,149,421 VVilmont Aug. 10, 1915 Gransdcn Feb. 27, 1934 uerisen NOV. 4, 1952 La Cuesta. Mar. 22, 1956 Borenstein Apr. 11, 1961 Rosenthal Aug. 14, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia Mar. 17, 1960 

1. A CHAIR INCLUDING A BASE FRAME, A BACK REST, MEANS MOUNTING SAID BACK REST ON SAID BASE FRAME FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT OF SAID BACK REST ABOUT A POINT ON SAID BASE FRAME BELOW SAID BACK REST, A SEAT FRAME MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID BASE FRAME AND ENGAGED WITH SAID BASE FRAME FOR SUPPORT OF SAID SEAT FRAME, MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING THE REARWARD END OF SAID SEAT FRAME AND THE LOWER END OF SAID BACK REST, AND MEANS ON SAID SEAT FRAME AND ON SAID BASE FRAME FOR SELECTIVELY LIMITING MOVEMENT OF SAID SEAT FRAME REARWARDLY OF SAID BASE FRAME TO SELECTIVELY FIX THE LOCATION OF SAID PIVOT MEANS RELATIVE TO SAID POINT ON SAID BASE FRAME IN A FIRST POSITION LOCATING SAID BACK REST AND SAID SEAT FRAME IN A FIRST ANGULAR RELATION TO EACH OTHER AND IN A SECOND POSITION LOCATING SAID SEAT FRAME AND SAID BACK REST IN ANOTHER ANGULAR RELATION TO EACH OTHER. 